Justice News

Silver Springs Man Arrested On Pornography Charge

CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051

Buffalo, N.Y. – Acting U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Ronald Caryl, 24, of Silver Springs, NY, was arrested and charged by complaint with receipt of child pornography. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum of 20 years in prison.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on February 14, 2017, the defendant began communicating on MeetMe.com, a social networking service, with a 23-year-old woman in Nashville, Tennesee. During the conversation, the two began to discuss Caryl providing the woman with $300 to have sex with her. The woman wrote, “just $300 and u do what u want to me.” The defendant replied, “do you have a young girl who could join I’ll pay more...you into young girls”? The woman responded, “as long as they r 18 and older”, to which Caryl replied, “Ya I meant younger I’ll pay 6000.” The woman replied, “I can’t put things in her mouth she gets sick she’s disabled.” The defendant went on to say, “show me your daughter” and then the woman allegedly sent a picture to the defendant. Caryl continued to press the woman to send naked pictures of her one-year-old daughter.

A MeetMe.com staff member identified the possible endangerment of a minor and illegal content and notified the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). On February 24, 2017, NCMEC notified the FBI of the content which was traced to an IP address belonging to the defendant. Caryl was arrested this morning.

The defendant made an initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and was detained pending a detention hearing on March 2, 2017, at 2:30 p.m.

The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Adam S. Cohen. Additional assistance was provided by the Wyoming County Sheriff’s Office, Cheektowaga Police Department, and the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office.

The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.